Legislative Update from Rep. Bianca Virnig

Friends and neighbors,  

My first legislative session as your new State Representative is off to a great start! We officially gaveled in to begin on February 12th, and it’s been a whirlwind of committee hearings, constituent meetings, and bill fine-tuning ever since.  

I look forward to keeping you updated on what I’m working on through these newsletters. You can also follow my new official Facebook page for the latest. Here’s the latest from Saint Paul. 

My First Pieces of Legislation

I’m incredibly excited to share some of the legislation I’ve been working on with you! Last session, a new law allowing census workers to access apartment buildings for census or canvassing purposes was signed, but only allowed for certain months out of the year. This session, I’m proposing legislation to expand that access to year round. This bill has already made it through committee hearings and is waiting to be voted on! The bill has bipartisan support, and I’m hopeful it will be my first bill to become law.  

I’m also carrying legislation to expand the number of on-sale intoxicating liquor licenses Eagan can issue so that Viking Lakes complex’s connection center will be able to operate as planned.  

I’m incredibly excited to introduce more legislation on a breadth of topics that are important to me and our community. You can see a list of the other bills I’ve introduced here.  

File for the Child Tax Credit

Nearly 300,000 Minnesota households are eligible for the nation-leading Child Tax Credit the DFL passed last year! With our Child Tax Credit, families will save up to $1,750 for each dependent. Democrats are cutting child poverty by one-third with this rebate.   

You can claim the tax credit by filing a 2023 income tax return. The $1,750 credit is for each child 17 years old and younger, with no limit on the number of children. For all tax filers, this credit begins to phase out at an income level of $35,000 and fully phases out at a maximum of $90,750 for a family with four children.   

Minnesota families: If you qualify, file your taxes to make sure you claim the benefits available to you.  

Insulin Prices Capped

Democrats are dedicated to reducing the cost of health care and protecting against price-gouging. Earlier this month, Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a landmark settlement with the Eli Lily insulin company that caps insulin at just $35 for the next 5 years.    

Drug companies raised the price of insulin by over 1,100% between 1990 and 2020, and this settlement ensures that Minnesotans can afford their lives and live with dignity, safety, and respect.  

You can learn more about the settlement and how to get insulin for just $35 a month here. 

Stay Connected

Unfortunately, due to technological constraints, replies to this newsletter won’t reach my email account.   

To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out email at  rep.bianca.virnig@house.mn.gov, or by phone at 651-296-4192. You can contact my new Legislative Assistant, Sam, at 651-296-3305 or via email at samuel.oneill@house.mn.gov. 

It is an honor and a privilege to represent you at the Capitol.   

All my best, 

Bianca Virnig, State Representative